Masquerain

by Sasami Mon Mar 02, 2009 8:26 pm

Intimidate
--Lowers foe's Atk by one (1) stage.

Stat	Base	MAX
HP	70	344
Atk	60	240
Def	62	245
Sp.Atk	80	284
Sp.Def	82	289
Spd	60	240

Masquerain sorta got hosed. It had much better typing as a Surskit, and now sports the horrid combination of Bug/Flying, which, while bringing with it a few useful resistances and immunites (Grass, Fighting, Bug, Ground), carries a lot of weaknesses, including Fire, Electric, Ice, Flying, and especially Rock. With that said, it won't enjoy Stealth Rock at all, considering it gets 2HKO'd by passive damage just switching in, unless it runs odd HP.
Even with decent Sp.Atk, it doesn't really carry the Spd to make good use of it, and so it has to rely on Intimidate to keep it alive long enough to set up Stun Spore or Agility (taking damage in the meantime and becoming easy to revenge kill in that respect), or sacrifice the nature of its adaptability and versatility (a relatively wide movepool being its only real advantage) to a Choice Scarf, making it relatively easy to switch in on with proper prediction. In the case of a Scarf, it loses damage, more than likely being forced to run a Timid nature, even then not outrunning everything it wishes it could. Specs could make up for lost damage, but Spd becomes an issue again, and suddenly, it can't set up Stun Spore or Agility.
Masquerain packs a couple quirks that sets it apart from its fellow Bug/Flying types. It can (P)Haze with Haze and Whirlwind, it has pretty passable Sp.Def for its tier, and it has Intimidate to help make up for its Def, not to mention it gets a few attacks that aren't shared by its cousins, including moves like Ice Beam and Hydro Pump. Masquerain can also AgiPass (a luxury shared only by Ledian in the same typing), but that and Substitute are really all it CAN Pass. It's too slow to really get too much advantage out of Roost, at least against faster Pokemon like Raichu, Plusle, and Rock Polish Armaldo, among other things, but it could still see some utility thanks to its ability and stats.

ScarfRain

Masquerain @Choice Scarf
-Bug Buzz
-Air Slash
-Hydro Pump/Energy Ball
-Hidden Power Ground/Fighting
Intimidate, Modest/Timid
252 Sp.Atk, 252 Spd, 6 Def

Potentially the most common Masquerain set. Intimidate it really useful, especially switching in against Fighting attacks. Bug Buzz and Air Slash have STAB, making them Masquerain's first attack choices. Bug Buzz covers Dark, Psychic, and Grass types (Grass being especially frequent in NU). Air Slash covers Grass, Bug, and Fighting types, besides having a 30% chance to flinch. Hydro Pump and Energy Ball can both deal with Ground and Rock types, but Hydro Pump does a better job of covering Fire-Ground and isn't walled by Steel types, whereas Energy Ball can deal with Gastrodon and Whiscash. HP Ground covers the Steel types that otherwise wall you, and can take care of Electric types like Raichu and Pikachu- on the otherhand, it's easier to switch into for a lot of Pokemon, which could happily set up on the switch. HP Fighting isn't completely walled by anything but Sableye, and still hits Steel types and Rock types for super effective damage, but you can't deal as much to the likes of Raichu and such. Either way, you've got good coverage, and a great switch in to Fighting attacks. Masquerain suffers a lot from Stealth Rock, though.
Between Modest and Timid, Timid is generally preferable to outrun everything in the tier that isn't Scarfed, including Purugly, which could go down after an HP Fighting or two, considering it has less Sp.Def than Def. However, depending on what gets popular with Scarf, it might be more worthwhile to go Modest. Masquerain's stats aren't great, but it's definitely one of the better Bugs in the tier thanks to Intimidate, and a relatively wide (though predictable) movepool.

Since it's Scarfed, you can try packing Haze or U-Turn, but being locked into one attack after that just makes you setup fodder on the switch. U-Turn makes you MUCH more vulnerable to Rocks, though if Masquerain's packing odd HP, it should be able to switch into Rocks twice and still survive with one HP. You could also try running Giga Drain over Energy Ball for the HP restoration, but the drop in damage might not be worth it.

Besides random scarfers, Politoed, Bastiodon, Kecleon, and Ledian are all happy counters. Politoed doesn't take Super Effective damage from any of Masquerain's attacks, and has the Water Absorb advantage, which allows Politoed to easily shut down the switch with Hypnosis. Bastiodon walls Bug Buzz and Air Slash easily enough, which allows it to set up Rocks or Roar on the switch. Kecleon has good sponge stats like Politoed, and gets Fire/Ice/Thunder Punch to return damage. Ledian's only afraid of Air Slash, so switching into anything else makes Masquerain setup fodder.

SpecsRain

Masquerain @Choice Specs
-Bug Buzz
-Energy Ball/Ice Beam
-Hydro Pump
-Air Slash
Intimidate, Timid
252 Sp.Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP

Credit for the original version of this set goes to Smogon.com. Choice Specs Masquerain tends to hit almost anything in NU hard with a little prediction. The main reason to even bother using Masquerain in the first place is because of his superior movepool, and this moveset aims to take advantage of that. Bug Buzz is for STAB, Hydro Pump is needed for some common walls such as Torkoal, Mawile, and Magcargo (who can wall Masquerain otherwise), Air Slash scores a super-effective hit on the ever-popular bugs of NU as well as the grass types who'd love to switch in otherwise. Energy Ball can be useful for Gastrodon and Whiscash, who are always OHKO'd. However, Ice Beam can be used if you want to be sure to KO some of the common flying types. Most of the Pokemon you'd be hitting with Ice Beam won't enjoy taking a Hydro Pump or Air Slash, though, which is why it's simply an alternate option. A notable exception is Noctowl.

Cradily is probably one of the best possible counters to this set, as long as it's being run on a Sandstorm team or is a special wall variety. Noctowl is another option, as long as Masquerain lacks Ice Beam. If Masquerain has Ice Beam, but lacks Energy Ball, Gastrodon walls it completely.

AgiRain

Masquerain @Life Orb/Wise Glasses
-Agility
-Baton Pass/Energy Ball
-Shadow Ball/Bug Buzz
-Hidden Power Fighting/Ground
Intimidate, Modest/Timid
252 Sp.Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP/Def

Very simple. Agi up to 438 Spd against whatever (480 with Timid nature), and then either sweep or Pass it off. The first options are a Shadow Ball/HP Fighting combination, because as I learned from Zack, it has perfect coverage. On the otherhand, the lack of STAB might be troubling, so it makes perfect sense to go with Bug Buzz and HP Ground instead, which still has pretty good coverage in that you Bug Buzz everything in sight, and HP Ground Steel and Rock types that wall you otherwise. Besides, if anything DOES wall you, you just pass off your Agility to something that can deal with whatever they throw at you. If you don't plan on Masquerain goin' on and off the field much (thanks a lot, Stealth Rock), then Energy Ball might be a better choice over Baton Pass to help you deal with Gastrodon and Whiscash. A note on the spread and item choice, if you decide on Life Orb, don't bother with putting that last point in Def, since Life Orb kills your HP anyway, meaning whether your HP is odd or even, you won't be able to really switch into Rocks more than once. If you go with Wise Glasses, put that last point in Def.

If you like, you can try fitting Sub in there somewhere, probably over the Hidden Power if anything, but with Rocks, you're probably best off just stickin' in for as long as possible and trying to sweep.

Besides random Scarfers, Chatot, Glalie, and Purugly are all good choices to counter AgiRain. Chatot outruns Masquerain before it sets up Agility and can Taunt, not to mention resisting Bug Buzz, being immune to Shadow Ball and HP Ground, and taking neutral damage from HP Fighting, but Masquerain CAN start running Ice Beam to counter it. After that Chatot can set up a Nasty Plot and sweep. Glalie and Purugly also have faster Taunts and can set up afterwards, but they need to be wary of HP Fighting.

ParaRain

Masquerain @Life Orb/Wise Glasses
-Stun Spore
-Bug Buzz
-Air Slash/Energy Ball
-Hydro Pump/Ice Beam
Intimidate, Modest/Timid
252 Sp.Atk, 252 Spd, 6 HP

Once again, simple. Paralyze whatever's in your way, then sweep it. Steel types wall you unless you run Hydro Pump, and Flying types have an easier time against you. Regardless, Ice Beam is a good option. Air Slash is there mainly for STAB and other Bugs, but Hydro Pump can handle Bugs, and Energy Ball, once again, is for Gastrodon and Whiscash. You'll notice I try to cover them a lot, and with good reason. They have pretty powerful typing. Anyway, Bug Buzz is STAB, and Masquerain's main choice of attack, as always.

Masquerain has a great movepool, so play around. Try experimenting with Shadow Ball, Icy Wind, Mud Shot, Psybeam, etc... Trying different things might end up surprising you. Sometimes, it's worth it to sacrifice general coverage for a little bit of niche.

Purugly often packs a Lum Berry, making Stun Spore pretty inneffective, and can shut you down with Hypnosis. Since you're likely running Modest, a lot more Pokemon can outrun you before you set up Stun Spore, even without Scarf, and just about anything that can Sub will screw you up. Minun has pretty good Sp.Def, and easily outruns Masquerain long enough to set up a Sub, Nasty Plot/Agility, T-Wave, or just T-bolt even (though, attacking is more Plusle's territory, who isn't quite so spongey).

BulkyRain

Masquerain @Leftovers
-Haze/Whirlwind
-Roost/Stun Spore/Hydro Pump
-Bug Buzz
-Hidden Power Fighting/Energy Ball/Air Slash
Intimidate, Modest
220 HP, 180 Def, 108 Sp.Atk

Okay, I'll admit that this IS a little gimmicky, but it's proven useful in its obscurity. This really suffers from Stealth Rock, but as Zack mentioned in the thread discussing Bibarel, Masquerain's pretty damn bulky, considering a Simple Bibarel with 3 Curses under its belt couldn't kill the Masquerain switch in. The idea's really just to have a bulky Pokemon when you need it. Intimidate REALLY picks up the slack, and Masquerain's already got pretty passable Sp.Def.

The moveset's been altered since I first made it. Haze and Whirlwind make it a better Bibarel counter, allowing it to cancel Bibarel's stat boosts, or get rid of it altogether. If you're running Rocks, Whirlwind is probably the better choice, but Bibarel CAN start packing Taunt. Roost is completely optional, but recommended, since it obviously increases your survivability. Stun Spore is an option since it slows down faster Pokemon that might cause your teams problems, and Hydro Pump is there for coverage against Fire, Ground, and Rock types, which are all fairly slow in NU. Bug Buzz provides STAB and is an all around reliable attack. Air Slash provides a second source of STAB, but probably doesn't have as much utility as Energy Ball (darn Gastrodon and Whiscash) or HP Fighting (darn Steel/Rock types).

The EV spread, I admit, was ripped from any common Whiscash, and probably needs revision. I think it might be worth it to cut HP a bit for more Def, since Def actually does a better job of mitigating damage than HP does.

Sadly, Masquerain's typing leaves a lot to be desired. Stealth Rock is a counter in itself, and anything with Rock Slide, Rock Tomb, or Stone Edge will give it problems. Random Scarfers and random Sp.Atks (Flamethrower Mawile, Fire Blast Vigoroth, Heat Wave Pidgeot/Fearow, etc) could cause problems, of course. Masquerain's bulk might not make up for its Spd, but with Intimidate picking up the slack, it could work.

All credit goes to Shine.